Screening of Cucurbit Germplasm Against Insect-Pests and Diseases under Natural Conditions

Cucurbits were screened for resistance to insect-pests and diseases under naturally occuring high degree of infestation. On the basis of observations recorded at seedling and adult plant stages, various cucurbit germpiasms were found promising. In bottlegourd, 28 lines were screened and 6 lines were found highly resistant to pumpkin beetle at seedling stage, while 27 lines were resistant to Fusarium wilt. In muskmelon, 78 lines were screened and seven genotypes were resistant to leaf miner at seedling stage. Only PMM 144 was resistant to red pumpkin beetle at seedling atage. Four genotypes were resistant to Fusarium wilt. In watermelon, 14 genotypes were screened and genotypes were found to have resistance at seedling stage to leaf miner. In cucumber, 11 genotypes were screened and PCUC 53 at seedling stage showed resistance to leaf miner. Four genotypes were resistant to Fusarium wilt. The hybrids involving these parental germplasm are under evaluation.